While soup can be a great warming meal in the wintertime, it can represent a minefield for those
who want to eat healthfully.

Some soups served at restaurants are packed with fat from cream or loaded with sodium. Yet it’s
easy to make a soup that’s delicious, warming and healthy.

First, use soup as an opportunity to load up on vegetables. Throwing any number of veggies from
carrots to turnips into simmering broth is almost instant soup.

Next, cut down on meat or eliminate it altogether. Soups make great vegetarian entrees, which
saves diners from saturated fat and calories. To make up for the protein, consider adding beans.
Just about any canned beans from garbanzos to cannellinis work beautifully in soups.

Try to use beans, broth and other vegetables that have no added salt. Canned products are
notoriously high in sodium, which can turn an otherwise healthy soup into a salt bomb.

Finally, if you want to thicken the soup, stay away from cream. Instead, puree some of the
vegetables and broth (and beans, if using). Return that to the soup, and it will work as a natural
thickener.

robin.davis@dispatch.com

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

Makes 6 servings

Here’s a lighter (but just as satisfying) version of the tortilla soup that’s
served at some area restaurants. It also can be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken, increasing
the vegetables and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Spray each tortilla with cooking spray. Stack them. Cut them in half and then
cut each half into thin strips. Arrange on a baking sheet.

Bake until light golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool.

Meanwhile, bring the broth to a simmer in a heavy large skillet. Add chicken.
Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting
board. Reserve cooking liquid.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper and
jalapeno. Cook until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano
and cayenne. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes with juices and reserved chicken cooking liquid. Bring to a
boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, dice chicken. Add to soup with corn and lime juice.
Heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in cilantro.